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Hospitalization and respiratory complications were more frequent in children and adolescents with COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic than in those diagnosed as having influenza in past flu seasons, an international team of researchers reported today in Pediatrics. (8/20)

Almost 85% of COVID-19 patients hospitalized said they were not back to their pre-COVID health 1 month after discharge, and even short hospital stays were tied to prolonged symptoms, according to survey results published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine yesterday. The researchers interviewed US adults hospitalized for COVID-19 a median of 47 days after their hospitalization, which took place from Aug 24, 2020, to Jan 26, 2021. Respondents were a median of 60 years old and stayed a median of 5 days. More than half (54.9%) reported new or worsened cardiopulmonary symptoms, 16% had new or increased oxygen use, and 52.8% had problems with daily living. Overall, 84.2% said their health was not what it was pre-COVID, and 16.8% said that on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being pre-COVID health, they were at 50 or less. (8/20)

A study today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) highlights high excess mortality from COVID-19 among racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Using data from the National Vital Statistics System, US researchers assessed US excess mortality incidence rates (IRs) by race/ethnicity and age-group from Dec 19, 2019, through Jan 2, 2021. Among all racial/ethnic groups, excess mortality IRs were higher in those ages 65 and older (426.4 to 1,033.5 excess deaths per 100,000 person-years) than in those ages 25 to 64 (30.2 to 221.1) and those 25 years of age and younger (2.9 to 14.1). (8/20)

Exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy increases the risk that a baby will be born too early, a new Stanford University study suggests. The study, published Aug. 14 in Environmental Research, finds there may have been as many as 7,000 extra preterm births in California attributable to wildfire smoke exposure between 2007 and 2012. These births occurred before 37 weeks of pregnancy when incomplete development heightens risk of various neurodevelopmental, gastrointestinal and respiratory complications, and even death. (Stanford University, 8/23)

Atogepant is an oral, small-molecule, calcitonin gene–related peptide receptor antagonist that is being investigated for the preventive treatment of migraine. ... Oral atogepant once daily was effective in reducing the number of migraine days and headache days over a period of 12 weeks. Adverse events included constipation and nausea. Longer and larger trials are needed to determine the effect and safety of atogepant for migraine prevention. (Ailani et al, 8/19)

Mosquitoes spread viruses that cause potentially deadly diseases such as Zika, dengue fever and yellow fever. New U.S. Army-funded research uses gene editing to render certain male mosquitoes infertile and slow the spread of these diseases. (U.S. Army Research Laboratory, 8/23)